Sugar factory Warburg

Overview

since 1872Farmers feel threatened by the North American competition – particularly in the grains fruit farming field. Voices are raised calling for regional sugar beet farming.

21 November 1882"Statute for the founding and operation of the sugar factory Warburg" by farmers from Warburg who organize cooperatively. The stock capital is 496,500 Marks. 311 shares are issued which obligate for the sugar beet cultivation. The mandatory cultivated area is 1,665 acres.

3 July 1883Registration of the cooperative in the commercial register.

25 August 1883First stone laying by the tenant farmer Julius Recknagel from Wormeln and the building contractor Liebold.A sheet metal capsule with certificates is placed in the foundation of the plant.

1884The first sugar beet campaign begins.

1914-1918During World War I the procurement of raw material becomes difficult and the available workforce almost only consists of invalids and prisoners of war.

1 April 1920Coming into force of the revised cooperative statute: Shareholders are no longer obliged to cultivate beets.

1922 and 1923The capital stock is increased twice due to inflation.

1926Bankruptcy of the sugar factory Brakel: Warburg plant takes over almost all beets.

7 December 1928Fire in the pellets warehouse. The plant has to be decommissioned for the moment, the unprocessed beets are taken over by the sugar factory Lage. In the fall of the following year, the plant is working again.

1931Founding of the "Wirtschaftliche Vereinigung der Deutschen Zuckerindustrie" [economic association of the German sugar industry]. Allocation of sugar production rights for every single plant for a continuance of five years.

1939-1945During World War II there is a shortage of labor, prisoners of war are employed.

4 April 1945Invasion of the victorious powers in Warburg. The sugar factory and company dwellings have to be vacated. An army depot is installed.

1956As a result of strong falls of rain there are floods. A greater part of the beet harvest cannot be gathered in. In the following year, the beet cultivation decreases and Danish beets are bought as from 1957.

1977-1993Membership in the "Vereinigte Zucker Aktiengesellschaft Obernjesa-Wabern-Warburg" [united sugar corporation]. In 1993, it mergers in the Südzucker AG.

After the campaign 1980First production of brown sugar.

Südzucker organic sugar.

1998The processing of organic beets in Warburg is resumed after 1993. 450 hectares of beets are processed to sugar. However, after the campaign the organic sugar production is stopped again. In 2002, the decision is made to resume the production of organic sugar in Warburg. As from this campaign year, ecologically bred seeds are available for the first time.